Floribunda rose plant named &#39;MEIMACOTA&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose plant herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘Meimacota’, is provided which forms an abundance of attractive, cup-shaped, red colored blossoms on a nearly continuous basis. The vegetation is vigorous and the growth habit is bushy. Attractive, dense, semi-glossy, green foliage is formed. Very good resistance to pests and disease is exhibited, particularly against black spot. Additionally, the new variety is particularly well suited for growing as distinctive ornamentation in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification: Rosa hybrida/Floribunda Rose Plant.

Varietal denomination: cv. Meimacota.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida Floribunda rose plant of the present invention was created during June of 2004 at le Cannet des Maures, Var, France, by artificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was the ‘Noawel’ variety (non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) of the new variety was the ‘Radrazz’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,836). The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

‘Noawel’x ‘Radrazz’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new Floribunda rose plant of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive,         cup-shaped, red colored blossoms,     -   (b) exhibits a bushy growth habit,     -   (c) forms very dense, semi-glossy, green foliage,     -   (d) exhibits very good resistance to pests and disease,         particularly with respect to black spot, and     -   (e) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation.

A new rose variety is provided displaying attractive, cup-shaped red blossoms combined with substantially continuous blossoming and very good disease resistance.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. It can be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, public areas, and in residential landscapes. Accordingly, the plant is particularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors. More specifically, the new variety can be readily distinguished from the seed parental variety, ‘Noawel’ (non-patented in the United States), in that the new variety exhibits a bushy growth habit, while the seed parent ‘Noawel’ exhibits a ground cover growth habit. The new variety can be readily distinguished from the pollen parent, ‘Radrazz’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,836), in that the new variety displays 48-62 petals on average, while the pollen parent ‘Radrazz’ displays far fewer petals, only 10 petals on average.

The characteristics of the new variety have been found at le Cannet des Maures, Var, France, to be homogeneous and stable and to be strictly transmissible by asexual propagation, such as budding, grafting, and the rooting of cuttings from one generation to another. The new variety reproduces in a true-to-type manner by such asexual propagation.

The new variety has been named ‘Meimacota’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration of this character, typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plant of the new variety illustrated herein was approximately two years of age and was grown outdoors on its own roots at le Cannet des Maures, Var, France, when it was observed in September, 2016. Scale (in centimeters) and comparative standard color information is provided at the bottom of the figures sheet.

FIG. 1 illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud before the opening of the sepals;

FIG. 3 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of the sepals;

FIG. 4 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of the petals;

FIG. 5 illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening;

FIG. 6 illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—obverse;

FIG. 7 illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—reverse;

FIG. 8 illustrates a specimen of a more fully open flower—plan view—obverse;

FIG. 9 illustrates a specimen of a more fully open flower—plan view—reverse;

FIG. 10 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing the arrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 11 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing the arrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

FIG. 12 illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 13 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets—plan view—upper surface;

FIG. 14 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets—plan view—under surface; and

FIG. 15 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with seven leaflets—plan view—upper surface;

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart—1995 Edition), London, England. The description is based on the observation of two-year-old specimens of the new variety during September while growing outdoors on their own roots at le Cannet des Maures, Var, France.

-   Class: Floribunda Rose Variety: ‘Meimacota’. -   Plant:     -   -   Habit.—bushy.         -   Foliage.—very dense with a semi-glossy aspect. -   Stems:     -   -   Color.—commonly near Yellow-Green Group 144A-144B on young             stems, and commonly near Yellow-Green Group 146B on old             wood.         -   Thorns.—quantity: commonly approximately 34 small prickles             and 19 long prickles on young stems approximately 10 cm in             length; commonly approximately 3 long prickles on adult             stems approximately 10 cm in length. — size: small prickles             are commonly approximately 1-2 mm in length on average;             large prickles are commonly approximately 5-7 mm in length             on average on young stems and approximately 7-9 mm in length             on average on adult stems. — color: commonly near             Greyed-Purple Group 183D on young stems, and near             Greyed-Orange Group 166A on adult stems. — shape: ovate             shaped at the base and slightly curved downward on the upper             surface of the thorn and concave on the lower surface of the             thorn. -   Leaves:     -   -   Leaflets.—number 3, 5, and 7. — length: approximately 5.5 cm             on average for a terminal leaflet. — width: approximately             3.2 cm on average for a terminal leaflet. — shape: generally             ovate with a cuspidate tip and a rounded base. — margins:             serrated and denticulate. — texture: leathery. — color (when             young): upper surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147A. under             surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147B. — color (when fully             mature): upper surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147A. under             surface: near Yellow-Green Group 147B-147C.         -   Rachis.—near Yellow-Green Group 146B in coloration:         -   Petioles.—commonly approximately 2 cm in length on average,             near Yellow-Green Group 146B in coloration, with a slightly             glandular upper surface and a few prickles on the under             surface.         -   Stipules.—generally adnate, pectinate, and broad; commonly             approximately 1 cm in length and 5 mm in width on average;             commonly near Yellow-Green Group 146D in coloration on the             upper surface and near Yellow-Green Group 146A in coloration             on the under surface. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Number of flowers.—commonly 1 to 7 blossoms on average per             stem.         -   Peduncle.—commonly approximately 5.2 cm in length on             average, approximately 4 mm in diameter on average, near             Yellow-Green Group 146D in coloration, and commonly             exhibiting a glandular surface.         -   Sepals.—upper surface: generally tomentous in texture and             commonly near Yellow-Green Group 148D in coloration. under             surface: generally smooth in texture and commonly near Green             Group 143B edged with near Yellow-Green Group 146B in             coloration. — size: commonly approximately 1.5 cm in length             on average, and approximately 8 mm in width on average. —             shape: generally narrow at the top and upright at the base             with few extensions measuring approximately 1-1.9 cm in             length on average.         -   Buds.—shape: generally conical. — length: approximately 2.5             cm on average. diameter: approximately 2 cm on average.             color: when opening, near Red Group 45A slightly suffused             with near Red Group 46A on the upper surface and near Red             Group 53C on the under surface.         -   Receptacle.—generally funnel shaped, approximately 6 mm in             length and 6 mm in diameter on average, smooth in texture,             and near Yellow-Green Group 146C in coloration.         -   Flower.—shape: cuplike. — diameter: commonly approximately             6-9 cm on average when fully open. — color (when opening             begins): upper surface: near Red Group 53A-53B. under             surface: near Red Group 53C. — color (when fully open):             upper surface: near Red-Purple Group 57C slightly suffused             with near Red Group 53C. under surface: near Red-Purple             Group 57D. — fragrance: none. — petal number: commonly             approximately 48-62 petals on average under normal growing             conditions. — petal arrangement: imbricated without             petaloids. — petal length: commonly approximately 3.7 cm on             average. — petal width: commonly approximately 2.9 cm on             average. — petal shape: cuneiform at the base and rounded at             the apex. — petal texture: leathery. — petal drop: good, the             petals commonly detach cleanly and freely drop upon full             maturity. — stamens: commonly number approximately 53 on             average arranged regularly around the styles. — anthers:             approximately 2 mm in size on average and commonly near             Orange-Red Group 34C edged with near Orange Group 24D in             coloration. — filaments: approximately 3 mm in length on             average, and the coloration is near Yellow Group 2D. —             pistils: commonly number approximately 56 on average. —             styles: commonly approximately 1 mm in length on average and             near Yellow Group 2D in coloration. — stigmas: commonly             approximately 6 mm in diameter on average, and near             Yellow-Green Group 44C in coloration. -   Development:     -   -   Vegetation.—green, vigorous, and very strong.         -   Blossoming.—very abundant and substantially continuous,             medium in the season.         -   Resistance to diseases.—Very good resistance, particularly             with respect to black spot. Plants of the ‘Meimacota’             variety have not been observed under all possible             environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is             possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat             with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural             practices, and other environmental conditions. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct rose plant characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive, cup-shaped, red colored blossoms, (b) exhibits a bushy growth habit, (c) forms very dense, semi-glossy, green foliage, (d) exhibits very good resistance to pests and disease, particularly with respect to black spot, and (e) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation. substantially as herein shown and described. 